Brush construction



July 5, 1966 B. M. WILGUS 3,258,806

BRUSH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 5027-0 /7. M/uaus July 5, 1966 B. M. WlLGUS 3,

BRUSH CONSTRUCTION Filed April '7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .9: INVENTOR.

BARTON M M4 GUS ///.5 Hrroexvsy United States Patent 3,258,806 BRUSH CONSTRUCTION Barton M. Wilgus, Vandalia, Ohio, assignor to Lambert, Inc., Ansonia, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 358,023 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-183) This invention relates to the construction of a brush, and primarily to the construction of a rotary brush such as used in lawn or floor sweepers and which is rotated by suitable means as the sweeper is moved over the surface to be cleaned.

Brushes of this character are generally provided with a plurality of brush strips which are substantially parallel when the device is assembled and are supported in fixed position on a supporting member, generally a rotating shaft or drum, and are spaced from each other so that such strips successively engage the surface to be cleaned as the sweeper is operated.

The present invention is concerned primarily with the means for supporting the brush strips on the supporting member and for holding the strips is assembled position on such member.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide novel and improved means for mounting the several brush strips on the supporting member and for retaining such strips in proper position thereon, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, easy to manufacture and eflicient.

It is a further object to provide a brush of the character referred to in which the means for supporting and retaining the several brush strips in position on the supporting means is so constructed that any or all of the brush strips can be easily removed and new strips substituted therefor with a minimum of effort and without in any way dismantling the sweeper in which the brush is used and without necessitating the use of any new parts other than the brush strips themselves.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one end and part of a brush constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a detail view of one of the supporting disks which are secured to the brush shaft and carry the several brush strips, the shaft on which the disk is mounted being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 4 is a detail view of one of the spring clips used to hold the brush strips in position.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings is a very simple construction, is inexpensive and most efiicient. In FIGURE 1 of the drawings only one end of the brush supporting shaft and a part of the brush are shown for the reason that the opposite end of the shaft is of the same construction and the length of the brush is variable, depending upon the width of the sweeper in which it is used.

The brush shaft is designated 2 in the drawings and is of tubular form. A short portion of such shaft at each end is reduced in size as indicated at 4. The reduced ends of the shaft are mounted in the sweeper in which the brush is used in any suitable way, so that the shaft may be rotated by some form of driving mechanism as the sweeper is moved over the surface to be cleaned. The means for operating the brush and supporting it in the sweeper constitutes no part of the present invention and a number of mechanisms now in commercial use can be employed. The present invention relates only to the brush per se and, therefore, only the brush is shown and will be described.

The brush comprises two or more brush elements or strips designated 6 in their entirety. These brush strips form no part of the present invention so far as their specific construction is concerned and are of known design. The brush strips are circumferentially spaced around the shaft, extend substantially parallel to the shaft throughout most of its length and are held in position on the shaft by means later described. The number of brush strips may vary and the number used will be that which is found to be most effective for the purpose used.

Each brush strip includes a channel bar 8, preferably of sheet metal and of general U-shape. The bristles 10 of the brush extend radially outwardly through the open side of the channel bar, as indicated in FIGURE 2. Each bristle is bent to form a loop intermediate its ends and these loops extend into the channel bar and around a wire or small rod 12. This wire or rod extends longitudinally within the channel bar near the closed bottom of the bar and all of the bristles pass around the wire or rod as indicated in FIGURE 2. The opposite sides 14 and 16 of the channel bar are pressed toward each other by any suitable means after the bristles and Wire or rod are assembled in position so that the bristles are held tightly in position and can not be pulled out. The sides 14 and 16 of the channel bar extend slightly beyond the bristles at the ends of the brush strips and are bent toward each other as indicated at 18, so as to effect practical closure of the channel bar at its ends. This will prevent any longitudinal movement of the bristles on the wire or rod 12 or out of the channel bar at the ends thereof.

As stated, the specific construction of the brush strips is not a part of this invention and any generally similar form of brush strip could be used.

As previously stated, the brush strips 6 extend along the shaft 2 throughout most of its length, are carried thereby and held in fixed position thereon, the present invention being concerned primarily with the means for supporting such strips and holding them in proper position on the shaft 2. To support the strips there are provided a plurality of disks 20, each with a central opening 22 of a size to fit closely on the shaft 2. These disks are spaced apart as shown, and any desired number may be used, but should be close enough together to hold the brush strips with sufficient rigidity to prevent any substantial bending or distortion and, of course, will vary in number with the length of the shaft 2. Each disk 20, as shown, has a projecting flange 24 surrounding the opening 22 and normal to the face 25 of the disk. The flange is integral with the disk and holds the disk in rigid relationship with the shaft and in a plane normal to the axis thereof when the disks are secured in position on the shaft, as shown in FIGURE 1.

In the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings both the shaft 2 and the flange 24 are formed of sheet metal which is readily deformed. The flange is deformed as indicated at 26 by some suitable tool when the disk is properly positioned. This will also deform the shaft as indicated at 28, the projecting part 26 of the flange fitting into the depressed or concave portion 28 of the shaft so that the disk cannot move either l-ongitudinally or rotatively with reference to the shaft 2. It may be said that any other suitable means can be used for securing the disks 20 to the supporting shaft as machine screws extending through the flange and shaft, for example, but the means shown is simple, inexpensive, easy to manufacture, efl'icient and thus is very desirable.

In the device shown, each disk 20 has three flat surfaces 30 on its outer periphery equidistant from each other, as best shown in FIGURE 3. Notches or slots 32 are formedmidway between the ends of each surface 30. These notches 32' extend radially toward the axis of shaft 2 and the width of the notches is such that the channel bars 8 which support the brush bristles 10 fit relatively tightly in the notches when the brush is assembled as in FIGURE 2, so that there will be no rocking movement of the brush strips in the notches when the channel bars are positioned therein.

The wired or closed end 34 of each notch 32 is positioned an appreciable distance from the outer surface of the shaft 2, so that when the brush strips are positioned in the notches, the channel bars which fit in the notches are spaced an appreciable distance from shaft 2, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

It may be stated here that the flat surfaces 30 are not necessary and the periphery of each of the disks may be circular and the peripheral edge of each disk adjacent the notch 32 may be ancuate instead of flat as shown.

The means for holding the brush strips in assembled position in notches 32 is very simple, inexpensive, easy to make and has other advantages which will be referred to later. The means for holding the brush strips in assembled position are the spring clips shown in detail in FIGURE 4, and designated in their entirety by the numeral 35. Each of these clips has two inwardly bent ends 36, which extend inwardly toward the shaft 2 when the device is assembled and an offset portion 38, which is substantially parallel to the shaft 2 and extends through one of a series of holes 40'fo-rmed in the disk 20. There are three of these connecting means for supporting the clips such as the holes shown in each disk and each is half way between'two adjacent notches 32. Each clip has a part 42 extending from the offset portion 38 toward one of the bent ends 36- and a part 44 extending from the offset part 38 toward the other bent end 36. These spring clips are so biased that when positioned in the holes 40 with the offset part 38 held against outward movement away from the shaft 2, the bent ends thereof.

exert considerable pressure toward the shaft 2, and the two bent ends 36 are hooked over the outer edges of the channel bars of two adjacent brush strips, as clearly shown in FIGURE 2. Each spring clip is positioned between two adjacent brush strips and when assembled its brush strip engaging portions hold the brush strips firmly in place in notches 32 with the closed bottom of each channel bar resting on the surface 34 of the notches 32. will be noted that when assembled, the parts 42 and 44 of each spring clip lie on opposite sides of the associated disk 20, as clearly shown in FIGURE 1. The number of spring clips employed depends, of course, on the number of disks 20 which are employed and also depends on the number of brush strips used. For example, if the brush includes three strips 6 there would be three clips 35 used with each disk 20. If there are four brush strips there would be four clips. there are three brush strips and three clips associated with each disk 20.

It will be noted that the sides 14 and 16 of each channel bar 8 are flared slightly at the outer edges thereof as indicated in FIGURE 2. This construction is provided for the purpose of enabling the hooked ends 36 of spring clip 35 to be more easily engaged with and disengaged from the channel bars in assembling the brush or in changing any of the brush strips, as described hereinafter.

As already stated, the means employed for holding the brush strips in place constitutes a very simple, inexpensive and efiicient means for effecting this function, but the provision of such means also makes it very easy to replace any brush strips with new strips in case any are worn or damaged during use of the brush. All that it is necessary to do is to release the hooked ends of the ;lips from the channel bar of any strip which is to be replaced, lift the strip out of its retaining notches 32 by a movement normal to the axis of shaft 2, insert another strip in such notches by radial movement toward the shaft In the device shown herein,

and distort peripherally outwardly and re-engage the hooked ends of the clips with the edges of the channel bar of the new brush strip. 'No endwise movement of the brush strips is necessary and no dismantling of the sweeper in which the brush is used is necessary to replace any or all of the brush strips.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a brush assembly of the character described, a rotatable supporting member extending longitudinally of the brush, longitudinally spaced disks'fixedly mounted on the supporting member and having spaced r-adial slots therein, corresponding slots in the different disks being in substantial alignment with each other, brush strips having bristles secured in channel bars and extending outwardly therefrom, said channel bars being positioned in said aligned slots and spring clips supported directly intermediate the ends thereof by each of said disks and held against outward movement at such point by said disks, the ends of each of'sa-id clips engaging the outer edges of the channel bars of two adjacent brush strips so as exert radial pressure thereon and hold said bars in the slots in which they are positioned.

2. In a brush assembly of the character described, a rotatable supporting member extending longitudinally of the brush, longitudinally spaced disks fixedly mounted on the supporting member and having spaced radial slots therein, corresponding slots in the different disks being in substantial alignment with each other, said disks also having holes therein positioned between the radial slots, spring clips each having an offset portion extending through one of said holes and longitudinal portions extending from said offset portion in opposite directions and on opposite sides of the disk, to engage the outer edges of the channel bars nearest said hole to exert an inward pressure thereon and hold said bars in the slots in which they are positioned.

3. In a brush assembly of the character described, a rotatable supporting member extending longitudinally of the brush, longitudinally spaced disks fixedly mounted on the supporting member and having spaced radial slots therein, corresponding slots in the different disks being in substantial alignment with each other, said disks also having holes therein positioned between the radial slots, spring clips each having an offset portion extending through one of said holes and longitudinal portions extending from said offset portion in opposite directions and on opposite sides of the disk, said longitudinal portions of the clips which extend over the outer edges of the channel bars nearest said hole having hooks formed thereon which project substantially radially inside said channel bars.

4. A device for mounting brush strips of the character described comprising a rotatable disk having radial slots for receiving brush strips, an elongated resilient spring clip having two distortable brush strip engaging portions, connecting means supporting said resilient clip intermediate the engaging portions thereof at said disk and holding said clip against outward movement at such point of support, said connecting means being located inwardly of the periphery of the'disk, the engaging portions of the clip being distortable peripherally outwardly to engage two adjacent brush strips so as to exert inward radial pressure thereon and hold the brush strips in their respective slots.

5. A device for mounting brush strips of the character described in claim 4 and wherein said disk has a hole therein positioned between adjacent radial slots and the spring clip has an offset portion extending through said hole and wherein said engaging portions extend from said offset portion in opposite directions and on opposite sides of the disk.

5 6. A device for mounting brush strips of the character described in claim 5 and wherein said engaging portions terminate in the form of hooks adapted for projection substantially radially internally of said brush strips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 887,780 5/1908 Eberhardt 15366 X 1,829,548 10/1931 Smellie et a1. 15366 X 2,480,409 8/1949 Glancy 15-23017 Rousseau 15183 Lombardi 15183 Lombardi 15183 Lombardi 15183 Peabody et a1 15183 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain.

10 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

PETER FELDMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A DEVICE FOR MOUNTING BRUSH STRIPS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A ROTATABLE DISK HAVING RADIAL SLOTS FOR RECEIVING BRUSH STRIPS, AN ELONGATED RESILIENT SPRING CLIP HAVING TWO DISTORTABLE BRUSH STIP ENGAGING PORTIONS, CONNECTING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID RESILIENT CLIP INTERMEDIATE THE ENGAGING PORTIONS THEREOF AT SAID DISK AND HOLDING SAID CLIP AGAINST OUTWARD MOVEMENT AT SUCH POINT OF SUPPORT, SAID CONNECTING MEANS BEING LOCATED INWARDLY OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISK, THE ENGAGING PORTIONS OF THE CLIP BEING DISTORTABLE PERIPHERALLY OUTWARDLY TO ENGAGE TWO ADJACENT BRUSH STRIPS SO AS TO EXERT INWARD RADIAL PRESSURE THEREON AND HOLD THE BRUSH STRIPS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SLOTS. 